


Jude (Hungry Hearts) {art}

by altocello



Series: Adam Driver Character Portraits [16]
Category: Hungry Hearts (2014)
Genre: Baby, Child Neglect, Digital Painting, Eating Disorders, Fanart, Gen, Hand porn, Mental Health Issues, Murder, Rape/Non-con Elements, adam driver being explict just by existing, adam driver's hand, tagging for triggers in the discussion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:27:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 0
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26884366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/altocello/pseuds/altocello
Summary: Adam as Jude from Hungry Hearts, profile limned by light, ear peeking out beneath the sleek waves of his hair, hand gently cradling his sleeping son upon his shoulder, a faraway, almost haunted, look on his face.
Series: Adam Driver Character Portraits [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1748746
Comments: 12
Kudos: 24





	Jude (Hungry Hearts) {art}

**Author's Note:**

> **CW: The notes on this piece contain discussion of child neglect, (obliquely) eating disorders, mental illness, spousal abuse, non-consent during a sexual act, and murder. It's chock full of spoilers for the movie. Ye Have Been Warned. Please let me know if I need to warn of anything else.**
> 
> \---------
> 
> Adam may be "a husband, and a father, in that order," but Jude definitely ends up choosing to be a father first and husband second.
> 
> In fact, Jude's character is so strongly defined by being a father that I felt that I really had to include the baby in any portrait of him. Interestingly, every single screencap and promo I could find of him holding the baby is backlit; instead of the light source being in front of him, Jude's face is only lit by reflected light, and it's too consistent to be accidental. Even the very last shot of them is backlit, with Jude and the boy framed by the setting sun.
> 
> Originally I was thinking that this was because Jude is a bit of a grey character, both a villain and a hero, but now I'm not so sure that's the whole story. Mina did get pregnant because he didn't pull out when she told him to, and he does slap her out of sheer frustration in the heat of an incredibly tense argument about caring for the baby. But the more I look at the rest of his choices, the more it's clear that he was only doing his flawed, human, best to do the right thing for the baby, while trying to keep the peace with his wife. He loved her deeply, but we see him slowly come to the realization that Mina was delusional, and that her delusion didn't allow her to see how she was actively harming her own child. From then on it's a game of cat and mouse, with him attempting to give their child the extra care and feedings he needs, without arousing Mina's suspicions. 
> 
> Eventually it becomes clear to Jude that any access Mina has to her child just allows her to harm him. His drastic action of having his mother essentially kidnap the baby precipitates the chain of events that leads to Mina's death. It plays out like a Greek tragedy, with each action feeling inevitable, both parents desperate to care for their child, both willing to do just about anything to keep him safe. While Jude didn't pull the trigger, his desperation and despair when Mina reclaims custody are what prompt his mother to choose to murder Mina, so that custody will revert to Jude. He rushes to the police station to be reunited with his child, overcome with grief at the loss of his wife and relief that his son is safe.
> 
> In the end, Jude's identity as a husband and his love for his wife are entirely eclipsed by his paternal instincts.
> 
> I could go on about how the tragedies in this movie were preventable, had Mina been able (and willing) to access good mental health care, but that's a rant for a different place. 
> 
> 8.5 hours to make this one. 

[ ](http://inkwellfiction.com/cello/portraits/jude.jpg)

[](http://inkwellfiction.com/cello/portraits/jude-eyes.jpg) [](http://inkwellfiction.com/cello/portraits/jude-mouth.jpg)  
  
[](http://inkwellfiction.com/cello/portraits/jude-hand.jpg)

**Author's Note:**

> [Say Hi on Twitter!](https://twitter.com/altocello)   
>  [You can also find me and my art on Tumblr.](https://artocello.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Comments and kudos are always sincerely appreciated!


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